Sydney’s North Shore is full of beautiful trees. Despite the beauty a tree can bring to a garden however, sometimes the unavoidable happens and it has to be removed. Whether by disease or simply because of poor placement in the first place a large tree can be quite a job to take down –especially if its in a tight, hard to reach area near your house. A large tree that needs to be removed will have to be climbed by professional arborists.

But how do you decide if a tree needs to be removed in the first place? The reasons you might have for the removal of a tree can be many and varied. The most common reason is if a tree is dead or dying and presents a danger to the area around it –especially houses.

But it’s commonplace for a tree to be removed simply because it was the wrong choice originally and has now grown too large for the area it’s in. A tree left to grow in an unsuitable space can end up causing untold damage to driveways; wrecking your paving, utilities, fences and even present a danger to your house and your family. So therefore it must be removed.

A tree might also need to be removed because it may be diseased with a fungal decay that can quickly spread to the surrounding trees if not dealt with. Quite often pruning is not sufficient and in terminal cases there is no other option but to remove the tree before it becomes unstable or the pathogen spreads to other neighbouring trees. Tree removal is usually the last resort after pruning, lopping and spraying have been eliminated as an option.

So how do you tell if a tree is in trouble, or will cause problems in the future?

If a tree appears to have declined in its aesthetics, has a lot of dead branches and generally looks ill then it may be the sign of a bigger problem. An arborist can give you the advice you need if you are worried about a particular tree in your garden.

Removal, if decided upon, should be carried out right down to and including the stump. It can be a dangerous job removing a tree and an experienced team of arborists can make it look easy, but in actual fact it is quite involved and quite dangerous.

After your tree is gone don’t despair! That cleared area opens up all kinds of possibilities for a new, much more suitable planting. Now is the time to select something more appropriate and manageable. The right tree will thrive given the right spot and the right care. Choose a tree for its beautiful autumn foliage like the Japanese Maple Acer Palmatum or for beautiful flowers like a variety of Magnolia Grandiflora. The important thing is to choose the right tree for the right space.

Tree removal doesn’t have to be such a daunting task. The first step you can carry out is to devise a tree management plan – Are your trees suitable for the space they are in? Are they healthy? Are they impacting on your house or driveway? An arborist can help you answer any questions you might have and ease any of your concerns.